Hydrostatic bailer for wells



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb- M, w47' J. J. sANTiAGo HYDROSTATIC BAILER FORWELLS Filed June 19, 1944 Feb. 11,

J. J. SANTiAGO HYDROSTATIC BAILER FOR WELLS Filed June 19. 1944ZSheets-Sneet 2 ATTOR N EY.

Patented Feb. 11, 1947 HYDROSTATIC BAILER FR WELLS J ames J. Santiago,Los Angeles, Calif., assigner to Grant Oil Tool Company, Los Angeles,Calif., a corporation of California Application .l une 19, 1941i, SerialNo. 541,003

Claims. l

This invention has to do with improvements in hydrostatic well bailersof the general type comprising a body section containing a normallyclosed charge receiving chamber, and a relatively vertically movablemandrel section operable to open the chamber for reception of a wellfluid charge and to retain the charge in the chamber until such time asit may subsequently be removed at the ground surface.

One primary object of the invention is to provide in the body section ofthe bailer a dump port adapted to be opened and closed by the mandrelsection in a manner such that upon reception of the charge into thechamber, the mandrel section retains the charge therein, the mandrelsubsequently being movable to place the chamber in communication withthe port to permit dumping of the charge. Preferably, the mandrelnormally is releasably held in raised position vwithin the body and inYclosing relation to the dump port, and as the bailer is bottomed in thehole the charge is taken upwardly through the mandrel into the chamberand retained therein, as by a valve preventing downward flow of thecharge through the mandrel. After removal of the bailer from the well,the holding means is released permitting the mandrelV section to movedownwardly within the body to a position at which the dump port isplaced in communication with the charge-receiving chamber.

Another feature and object of the invention is to provide in the movablemandrel section a closure normally sealing the chamber against entry ofthe well fluid and adapted to be opened as an incident oi engagement ofthe bailer with the bottom of the well. For this purpose the mandrel maycontain a closure element, such as a frangible disc, and may includerelatively vertically movable sections so related to the disc that thelatter is broken as a result of relative verticalmovement of the mandrelsections at the charge receiving location of the well.

A further object of the invention is to locate the closure element ordisc in the mandrel vsection at a location below the dump port and belowthe mandrel-carried section valve so Ythat the chamberis closed againstescape of the charge both through the mandrel and dump port, at1ocations above the location at which the chamber normally is sealed'against iluid entry.

All the various objects and details of the invention will be understoodto better advantage from the'iollowing description of certain typi- ,caland illustrative embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanyingdrawings; in which:

Figs. 1 and la are vertically continuing sectional views showing oneform of the invention with the mandrel in raised position toclose thedump port;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional View showing the mandrel lowered toopen the dump port;

Figs. 3 and 3a, are vertically continuing sectional views illustrating avariational form of the invention; and

Fig. l is a fragmentary section showingthe mandrel in lowered positionwithin the body.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 1a, the bailermay be regarded generallyas comprising a body section it and a relatively vertically movablemandrei section Ii, itself including relatively vertically movablesections lla and 11b. The body ld comprises a tubular section I2containing the charge receiving chamber I3 and of sufficient length toaccommodate a chamber of the desired volume. As will be understoodwithout necessity for speciiic illustration, section l2 may have aclosed upper end connected to a suitable suspension means, such as acable on which the bailer is run into and out of the well. The lower endof section i2 is connected by threaded joint it with a coupling or subI5 which in turn is threaded at i6 into the upper end of a tubularbarrel il containing one or more dump ports I8. The upper mandrelsection Ila includes a tube i9 having suitable clearance at 20 withinthe lower end of the barrel Il, and connected at 2i with a head 22having sliding and substantially sealing engagement with the inside 23of the barrel. The upper end of tube `IS carries an apertured cage 2licontaining a check valve 25 which prevents downward fluid flow from thechamber I3 through the mandrel bore 26.

Normally, the flow of well fluid upwardly through the mandrel into thechamber is prevented by a closure, generally indicated at 21, carried bythe mandrel section lia, which closure may be of any suitable type andform adapted to be opened by relative upward movement of the lowermandrel section Hb, as later eX- plained. Preferably, the closure 21consists oa frangible disc 23 clamped between the lower end portion isaof the tube i9 and an internal shoulder 2S on a coupling 3i) having athreaded- Connection 3i with the tube.

The lower'mandrel section Hb consists of a tubular disc breaker 32normally supported on a pin 33 terminating in the coupling 30 and eX-tending through elongated slots 34 in the tube 32. The latter may carrylongitudinally extending surface projections 35 engaging the bore of thecoupling 30. To the lower end of the disc breaker tube is attached at 36a nose 3l carrying a rotatably adjustable metering ring 38 of the usualtype containing openings 39 adapted to be adjusted with relation toopenings 0 to regulate the size of the passages through which well fluidmay be taken in through the openings to dilute or lubricate the chargeof well fluid, sand, cuttings and the like, displaced upwardly from thebottom of bore 42 through the mandrel assembly into the chamber I3.

While the bailer is being run'into and .out of the well, the mandrelsection H is releasably retained in the raised position of Figs. l andla by a holding means which may be of any suitable type capable ofrelease to drop the mandrel when the charge is to be dumped. Merely asillustrative, such holding means, generally indicated at 43, maycomprise a ring 4d surrounding the tube I9 and having an upwardlyextending arm 45 projecting within recesses 46 in the barrel l1 andresting upon surface 41 to support the ring. The latter carries a lockwasher 43 and the ring and washer assembly normally is maintained in theinclined posi-tion illustrated, by a spring 49 pressing downwardlyagainst the washer so that its sharp inner edge at 59 engages againstand holds the mandrel against downward movement..

full charge is received, valve 25 seats to retain the charge and thebailer is removed from the well. When at the ground surface, the chargemay vbe dumped simply by pressing ring 44 and the look washer 48 upwardagainst the resistance of spring 49, permitting the mandrel to drop to svthe position of Fig. 2 in which the head 22 has uncovered the dump porti8 to allow the charge vto flow out from the chamber I3.

jIn the form of the invention Shown in Figs. ,3, 3a and e, the bodysection 53 comprises a barrel v54! connected at 55 to a coupling 56corresponding to the sub l5 in Fig. l. As illustrated, the barrelcontains upper and lower openings or ports '51 and 5,8, the lformer ofwhich normally is closed against iiuid escape from the charge receivingchamber 59.

The mandrel section Si) comprises a tube 6l carrying a sleeve S2 closelyengaging the bore 63 of the bailer. IAbove tube 5I is a head E4containing bore B5 and a check valve 66 seated by .coil spring 6'!contained within a spider or apertured plug 68 threaded into the upperend of the head. Frangble 4disc 63 is clamped between the head 54 andthe upper end of tube 6I, and the ,ahead normally is maintained inengagement with the coupling shoulder 1l), by taking up a releasable,threaded connection at H between the tube and the lower end portion ofthe barrel 5d. The upper mandrel section 68 also includes a coupling 12threaded at v'i3 on the lower end of tube 6l as shown in Fig. 3a. Thelower mandrel section 14 comprises a tube 'l5 movable vertically withinthe coupling I2 and normally supported in the .depending position ofFig. .4 by engage'- ment of the head I6 with the internal couplingshoulder TI. Coupling 18 connects the lower end of tube I5 with thetubular nose 'I9 carrying the adjustable metering ring 811. The discbreaker Si integrally attached to the tube 15 as by spider webs 82,projects upwardly within tube 6| and has a sharp end portion 83 to beengaged by the disc B9.

The tool is run into the wel-1 with the upper mandrel section EB in theposition of Fig. 3 and the lower mandrel section 14 supported oncoupling 12 in the position of Fig. 4. After the nose 'F9 bottoms in thehole, the disc 69 is impacted down against the head 83 of the breaker,whereby the disc is ruptured and the'- charge is taken upwardly throughthe mandrel, past check valve 53 into the chamber 5S. After removal ofthe bailer from the well, the connection at 'Il is unscrewed, permittingthe mandrel section 60 to drop down to the position of Fig. 4, at whichthe head 64 is brought below opening 51 to permit the chamber contentsto discharge therethrough.

For the purpose of inserting a new disc 69 in place, the head 64 may beheld in the position of Fig. 3 by insertion of a tool through opening 84into recess 85, and tube 6I fully dropped to allow the disc to beinserted through opening 5.5. Thereafter, the connection at 1| may betaken up to restore the parts to the position of Fig. 1 for the nextrun.

I claim:

1. A hydrostatic well bailer comprising a body containing acharge-receiving chamber and having a dump port communicable with saidchamber, a tubular mandrel movable vertically within the body to openand close said port, valve means carried by said mandrel for preventingdownward flow of fluid therethrough, a closure carried by the mandrelbelow said valve to normally prevent upward ow of well fluid through themandrel into said chamber, and means for opening said closure.

2. A hydrostatic well bailer comprising a body containing a,charge-receiving chamber and having a dump port communicable with saidchamber, a tubular ymandrel movable vertically within the body to openand ,close said port, Valve means carried by said mandrel for preventingdownward .flow of fluid therethrough, a closure `carried by the mandrelbelow said valve to normally prevent upward flow of well uid through themandrel into said chamber, means for opening said closure, and means forreleasably holding the mandrel in its port closing position.

3. A hydrostatic well bailer `comprising a body containing acharge-receiving chamber and having a dump port communicable with saidchamber, a tubular mandrel movable vertically within the body to openand close said port, valve means carried by said mandrel for preventingdownward -flow of fluid therethrough, a disc carried by the mandrelbelow said valve to normally prevent upward flow of well fluid into saidchamber, means for breaking said disc, and means :for -releasablyholding the mandrel in its port-closing position.

4. A hydrostatic well bailer comprising a body containing acharge-receiving chamber and having a dump port communicable with saidcham. ber, a depending tubular mandrel having a head movable verticallywithin the body to open and close said port, a. check valve carried bythe mandrel to prevent downward flow of fluid therethrough from thechamber, a disc carried by the mandrel below said valve for preventingupward flow of fluid therethrough into the chamber,

means normally and releasably holding said mandrel in its port closingposition, and a tubular disc breaker carried by said mandrel and movableupwardly relative thereto to break said disc.

5. A hydrostatic well bailer comprising a body containing acharge-receiving chamber and having a dump port communicable with saidchamber, a depending tubular mandrel having a head movable verticallywithin the body to open and close said port, a check valve carried bythe mandrel to prevent downward ow of iluid therethrough from thechamber, a disc carried by the mandrel below said valve for preventingupward flow of fluid therethrough into the chamber, means normally andreleasably holding said mandrel in its port closing position, and atubular disc breaker depending below the mandrel and movable upwardlytherein to break said disc and permit the ow of well fluid through thedisc breake and mandrel into said chamber.

6. A hydrostatic well bailer comprising a body containing acharge-receiving chamber and having a dump port communicable with saidchamber, a depending tubular mandrel movable vertically within the bodyto open and close said port, valve means carried by the mandrel forpreventing downward fluid flow through the mandrel, a closure in themandrel below said Valve means for normally preventing upward flow ofwell iiuid through the mandrel into said chamber, and means below saidvalve means and closure operable independently of the valve to open saidclosure and permit such flow by virtue of downward movement of thebailer after the mandrel has engaged the bottom of the well.

7. A hydrostatic well bailer comprising a body containing acharge-receiving chamber and having a dump port communicable with saidchamber, a depending tubular mandrel movable vertically within the bodyto open and close said port, a closure in the mandrel normallypreventing upward iow of well uid into said chamber, said mandrel havinga bore above said closure to pass well fluid upwardly into the chamberwhen said closure is opened, a valve carried by the mandrel above saidclosure for preventing downward iiow of said fluid through the mandrel,means below said bore operable independently of the valve to open saidclosure and permit such flow by virtue of downward movement of thebailer after the mandrel has engaged the bottom of the well, and meansfor releasably holding the mandrel in its port closing position.

8. A hydrostatic well bailer comprising a body containing acharge-receiving chamber and having a dump port communicable with saidchamber, a tubular mandrel movable vertically within 6 the body to openand close said port, valve means carried by the mandrel for preventingdownward iow of iluid through the mandrel, a closure carried by themandrel and normally positioned below said port to prevent upward flowof well fluid into said chamber, said mandrel having a bore above saidclosure to pass well fluid upwardly into the chamber when said closureis opened, and means below said bore operable independently of the valveto open said closure and permit such ow through the mandrel by virtue ofdownward movement of the bailer after the mandrel has engaged the bottomof the well.

9. A hydrostatic well bailer comprising a body containing acharge-receiving chamber and having a dump port communicable with saidchamber, a depending tubular mandrel movable vertically within the bodyto open and close said port, a disc carried by said mandrel and normallypreventing upward flow of well fluid through the mandrel into thechamber, a check valve carried by the mandrel above the disc to preventdownward fluid flow through the mandrel, means below the disc and valvefor breaking said disc to permit such upward fluid flow into thechamber, and means for releasably holding the mandrel in its portclosing position.

10. A hydrostatic well bailer comprising a body containing acharge-receiving chamber and having a dump port communicable with saidchamber, a tubular mandrel movable vertically within the body andcomprising an upper tubular section and a lower tubular sectionslideably connected together, said lower section depending below thelower end of said upper section, said mandrel normally closing said portand being movable to open the port and permit fluid dischargetherethrough from the chamber, a check valve carried by said uppersection to prevent downward flow of uid therethrough from the chamber,and a disc carried bysaid upper mandrel section below said valve tonormally prevent upward flow of well uid therethrough into said chamber,said lower section when bottomed in the well being directly engageablewith said disc to break the disc when the bailer is further loweredafter said lower section has bottomed.

JAMES J. SANTIAGO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,214,350 Santiago Sept. 10, 19402,059,629 Erwin et al Nov. 3, 1936 2,098,520 Santiago Nov. 9, 1937

